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Hi All...

I picked up my Roland SX 300 on Yesterday and I'm happily getting back into music.

I haven't played in over a year, so I'm tryin to get my fingers warm again (doing the usual scales, a few prelude... particulary the Raindrop Prelude).

I am looking to move into a bit of jazzy/bluesy type playing as I love the E. Piano sounds on my new board.

Can anyone suggest any websites or exercises that could help me learn in this style?

Thanks,
Amnesia

Check out Scot Ranney's learnjazzpiano.com. There are several good introductory articles to get you started.

Marc

www.learnjazzpiano.com

Have fun!

There is not a universe of difference
between classical and jazz. For example,
if you add a 7th and/or 9th interval
to the typical triads in a Chopin waltz,
you'll have a jazzy-sounding waltz.
And so forth.

Thanks for the input everyone.

I've been looking through the website and there are some useful links!

Welcome to Piano World. Hello I am Sandy B. Have fun with your new instrument. There is a method book called from Hanon to Jazz by Dr. Bert Konowitz with a CD and it is not difficult at all for someone who has studied piano basics. Sandy B

Thanks Sandy. I'll check it out.

It's a very large subject to address in a forum but the most important thing is to learn your chords so you can think "harmonically." Then learn the basics of a lead sheet with your left hand playing block chords and your right hand on the melody. Then, (and here is where experience and education help) apply various styles, left hand patterns and such to personalize the sound. Start reading books that offer jazz instruction along with written arrangements. Many are one or the other so you have to look around. Also, listen to and emulate the masters - particularly those with a less complex style such as Count Basie, Bill Evans, or George Shearing rather than the million notes per second players like Bud Powell or Oscar Peterson. The latter make nice music but it's intimidating for students.

Bradley...nicely said


btw checked out your web site and really liked the youtube performance

He gets a big Bravo...just amazing...Thanks Bradley...

Gyro,

What you say, reminds me of Fats Waller's 'Jitterbug Waltz'

Whilst it is 'mind blowing' to listen to Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson, do not be put off.

You never know how your learning may develop. You too may become a great pianist also. If you are inspired by greatness at least you always have a goal in life.

Alan

Hi Bradley, thank for your post! And apologies for my late reply.

Where do I start learning what particular chords? Standard C,F,G blues?

Thanks again!
Dan

Cycle of Fifths for turnarounds n such
Check out Jamey Aebersold books...more good stuff there than u need.

Can you recomend a good Jamey Aebersold book to get started? There are HUNDREADS of them!

Thanks.

I'll have to check the catalog, but they do have books that cover all levels, from blues to jazz. A lot of their books also come w/cd's if you so choose. They are great playalongs.
Mark Levines books are really good, I think he has a really good blues book, Andy Laverne (great player) has a few books there also, but they may be advanced. I'll get back to you on it, and no, I dont work there, I think after years of playing, that the Aembersold books offer good knowledge, n Ive used a few of them. Heck, Levine has a newer latin book that looks great, may check that one out, see what he's up too. Thats whats great about piano, theres always something or someone to check out, and fun stuff to learn.

Thanks for the input.
I've checked out some books and am assuming http://aebersold.com/Merchant2/merc...duct_Code=V01DS&Category_Code=AEBALL might be the best way to start out?

I quite like playing along to stuff... and it helps me progress and improvise.

Thanks again!

Aebersold's Volume 1 is an okay place to start. There is a booklet that comes with it that has great advice (and you can get lots of similar downloads directly on Aebersold's website too -- for example, he has a "scale syllabus" sheet that I always carry for reference).

There is also a really useful volume -- either 21 or 24 -- that goes through every key, major and minor.

But -- my favorite place for starting is volume 54 (Maiden Voyage). It has 10 to 12 tunes, all jazz classics, all very useful tunes to know, at somewhat relaxed tempos. There is also a companion volume that shows an exact transcription of the piano comping (I'm pretty sure there is a similar companion book for Volume 1 as well).

So - maybe if you feel flush (with cash), pick up volumes 1 and 54, and maybe the companion books (total, about US$50?). Honestly, that would give you enough material to work on for a couple of years.

BTW -- if you're not familiar with the Aebersold recording method...he records in stereo with piano in one channel, bass in the other. If you're a pianist, that means you can set the balance control on your stereo to only hear bass and drums, which is great for practicing comping. Bass players can listen to the other channel.

One quick followup -- I recently put together a study CD for Aebersold's Volume 54 (Maiden Voyage). It has the original recordings for almost all of the classics he uses (this is really easy to do using a service like iTunes Music Store, where you can buy individual tracks). The only thing missing is that he has a couple of originals, blues I think, as well, so there are no original recordings.

Okay, Thanks so much for your help Guy. I am definitely going to go and buy Volume 1 and 54.

Thanks again :-)

Just to clarify...volume 1 is more exercise-oriented (although the first track is based on "So What", it doesn't really emphasize a particular main melody). Volume 54 is definitely tune-oriented. You'll get a jump start on 10 or 12 very usable jazz tunes.

My own teacher, years ago, would have me work on particular exercises, but after awhile we really zeroed in on particular tunes. I went into piano lessons as an experienced jazz trombonist, but had no piano skills. In our first lesson, after covering fingering and 4 or 5 major scales (the easiest ones -- but hands parallel), we jumped right in on "Autumn Leaves".

(it was funny, he kept writing down new assigments, and I finally asked "all this for next week?" -- he laughed, and said, "well, maybe for the week after")